VOLS' LATE SHOT SINKS LSU

Five times LSU had reached the Final Four - with three different coaches.

None of them could figure out how to get past the national semifinal game.

The latest, Hall of Famer Van Chancellor, had never reached a Final Four. He couldn't get the Tigers past their sticking point, either.

LSU guard Erica White hit two free throws with 7.1 seconds left to give the Tigers a one-point lead and what appeared to be their first national championship game.

But senior guard Alexis Hornbuckle lifted Tennessee for the second game in a row. Her put-back of a Nicky Anosike miss with less than a second remaining lifted Tennessee to a 47-46 victory over its SEC rival Sunday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.

They were the only points for Hornbuckle, who hit a clutch three-pointer in the waning moments of the regional final against Texas A&M.;

"I realized I didn't make a shot all night," said Hornbuckle, who shot 1-for-8. "It was frustrating, but at the same time I knew I couldn't give up on myself and my team. I crashed the boards and thought, 'I might as well try to tip it in.' And luckily it went in."

Tennessee, which lost at Stanford 73-69 in overtime in December, will play the Cardinal Tuesday for its eighth national title.

"We hung in there and found a way to win," coach Pat Summitt said. "I'm not sure how, looking at the stat sheet."

Tennessee (35-2) won despite shooting 30 percent. Candace Parker, who played with a brace on her separated right shoulder, had 13 points and 15 rebounds, but shot just 6-for-27.

Despite Parker's struggles, she had the ball in her hands after White's free throws. Parker brought it up the length of the court, penetrated the lane to draw coverage, then dished to Anosike.

LSU (31-6) had five senior starters, including All-American Sylvia Fowles, who had 24 points and 20 rebounds.

"It's a tough way to lose," Chancellor said. "I really feel for our seniors. I'm just sorry I couldn't help them win."

Fowles was the only starter in double figures. The Tigers shot 35 percent and hit 7 of 19 free throws.

"We didn't play with confidence offensively," Chancellor said.

The teams split this season, with LSU winning 78-62 and Tennessee winning 61-55 in the SEC final. So it was no surprise this one went down to the wire.

LSU fought back from a 10-point, second-half deficit and cut it to 43-42 after Fowles hit a layup with 2:09 left and one of two free throws with 1:18 left. A White layup and her late free throws put LSU up for the first time, setting up Hornbuckle's dramatic shot.

"I was fearful it was over, just because of the clock," Summitt said. "When she went up, I went straight to the clock and I realized then that we had time to get the shot off. . . . Next thing I know, it's going in."